Chapter 51
—
Early dawn.
I headed to my father’s territory as soon as I woke up.
“You’re already here, young master?”
“Of course.”
Edward greeted me.
Though he was out earlier than I was.
The dark circles under his eyes made it clear he hadn’t slept a wink last night.
I understand.
Considering the massive event today, it would be stranger not to feel excited.
“It’s finally starting.”
At last, we could break ground.
Since we’ve received permission from the academy, delaying any further would only waste time.
As I was touring the construction site with him, a group of people came into view from a distance.
Hugo leading the Artisan Guild.
They carried axes, hammers, and what looked like glowing artifacts.
Behind them, dozens of wagons followed, making a racket.
The wagons were loaded with various types of lumber and stone.
Seeing all that made it feel real.
“You arrived early.”
Hugo greeted us.
“The construction begins today, and we’ll have it perfectly completed exactly one year from now.”
“I’ll be counting on you.”
The artisans swarmed forward and set down all the tools they had been carrying.
‘Looks like they’re preparing for a groundbreaking ceremony.’
Apparently, rituals to pray for the success of construction projects exist in this world, too.
A man who appeared to be a priest stood at the centre and began a prayer.
I closed my eyes and made a wish.
‘Please let it turn out exactly like the blueprint.’
That’s all I ask for.
Shortly after.
Following Hugo’s instructions, the old warehouse of the Periton family was torn down, and they began the groundwork.
The artisans worked seamlessly together.
Several people gathered to lift a massive stone pillar and planted it firmly into the ground.
The earth trembled briefly, kicking up dust.
“Ooh.”
“It’s already starting to take shape, don’t you think?”
Edward and I watched the scene in silence for a long time.
***
“Who sent this letter?”
When I returned to the mansion, Theo called me with a stiff expression.
“It would be faster if you read it yourself.”
He handed me a piece of paper.
I had just come back from the construction site and was planning to quickly wash up and take a nap.
Why do these letters always arrive at the worst times and never when they’re needed?
“Ah.”
As soon as I tore open the envelope, I wanted to take back the thought that had just crossed my mind.
Elize Flovitz.
Why is your name here?
‘I knew the paper looked overly fancy.’
Who would’ve thought it was from the imperial family?
I unfolded it and read through the contents.
It wasn’t much.
She wanted to meet me soon.
That was about it.
She was probably planning to explain the details in person.
She asked me to visit the imperial palace whenever I could.
That’s the problem with letters from people of high status.
It would be nice if they specified an exact date.
This way, it feels like I have to go as soon as possible.
“Theo.”
“Yes.”
“I think I’ll have to go out again. Call Diana and have her prepare my formal wear.”
“Understood.”
***
“Her Highness, the Crown Princess, is in the drawing room.”
“Thank you.”
Upon arriving at the entrance of the imperial palace, I was guided by a servant.
Even though I’ve been here several times, the building is still breathtaking.
I can’t think of a better word than elegant.
‘So Hugo and his artisans built this, right?’
My expectations rose.
Anyway.
After checking my appearance in front of the drawing room, I knocked.
“Come in.”
A gentle voice answered from inside.
“You called for me?”
“I’ve been waiting for you.”
Elize rose from the sofa to greet me personally.
Judging by the teacup on the table, it seemed she’d been enjoying tea time alone until just now.
I sat across from her.
She slid a cup toward me.
“Please have some.”
“Thank you.”
By the way, has Elize matured a little?
Her features seem slightly more defined than before.
“Hm.”
Anyway.
The way she was staring at me felt oddly burdensome.
I quietly averted my gaze.
‘Let’s not overthink things.’
I decided to ask about her reason for calling me.
“What brings you to call for me?”
“Take a guess!”
“…Excuse me?”
Elize suddenly exclaimed in a cheerful tone unlike her usual demeanour.
Guess, she says.
I didn’t expect to be playing twenty questions with the Crown Princess, but it wouldn’t be polite to ignore her, so I decided to respond as best as I could.
A few possible reasons came to mind.
Could it be about the establishment of the academy branch?
I’ve been making such a fuss about it that she probably knows what I’ve been up to.
Or maybe she wanted to ask about the theatre remodeling.
‘Or could it be.’
She might be curious about why I haven’t held a recital lately.
That’s a possibility.
Since our first meeting, Elize has declared herself my fan.
My last performance was a joint recital with Aria, and I’ve since ceased playing publicly. She could be here to encourage me to resume.
If that’s the case, it explains why she invited me to the palace instead of just sending a letter.
“It’s none of those. You really don’t understand a woman’s heart, do you?”
“…Pardon?”
What in the world.
“I’ve mastered all the practice sheet music you released.”
“Really?”
I was so surprised I could barely get the words out.
It hasn’t even been half a year!
Even at a normal pace, it would take a full year at least.
When Edward and I decided to stop theatre operations, it was based on the assumption that it would take people a long time to master the sheet music.
‘Was my calculation wrong?’
No, that can’t be.
She’s just absurdly fast.
“Pardon me, but how much do you practice each day?”
“Ah! Lately, I’ve been holding back a bit. Just about five hours every evening.”
Five hours.
And that’s the minimum.
“At first, I didn’t realize how much time had passed, and before I knew it, I had been playing for over 12 hours. Hehe.”
Twelve hours?
She’s the Crown Princess, isn’t she? Is that even allowed?
I never thought members of the royal family had so much free time.
Well, it’s none of my business.
If she practiced after completing her duties, then I have no complaints.
She must have devoted all her free time to this.
‘Being fast doesn’t always mean being good, though.’
There’s no need to say that out loud.
“So, here’s the thing.”
“Yes.”
Elize lowered her voice and asked seriously.
“When do you plan to release your next sheet music collection?”
“…Is that why you invited me to the Imperial Palace?”
“Well, among other reasons.”
The new collection is still in progress, and with revisions, it’ll take at least two more months to publish.
When I explained this, her shoulders drooped.
“If you need more pieces to practice, the previous sheet music I released should—”
“I’ve already memorized all of that.”
“Oh.”
Does she not sleep?
How much free time does she have to memorize all that in such a short time?
Maybe she’s just someone who obsessively loves music.
Even so, it feels a bit excessive.
If I were her personal instructor, I’d never allow 12-hour practice sessions.
Especially for a beginner.
Diana, for instance, is only permitted two hours of lessons per day.
That’s plenty. Playing the piano is ultimately a long-term pursuit.
Overloading in the short term leads to burnout and takes a toll both physically and emotionally.
“Oh my, is that so…”
Elize bit her lip with a troubled expression at my words.
“Well, um…”
“Yes?”
“Would you mind if I took a look at your wrist for a moment?”
“My wrist?”
“Sorry, forget I said anything.”
It’s unreasonable to make such a request to the Crown Princess.
Or so I thought.
She extended her arm without hesitation, holding out her wrist to me.
“It’s fine.”
“Then, excuse me.”
Careful not to touch her unnecessarily, I gently pressed the area between the radius and the wrist bone.
“Does this hurt?”
“A little.”
As I thought.
Next, I pressed the inside of her wrist and the front of her palm.
Both are areas where tendons are located.
“Ouch! That hurts.”
“Apologies.”
Even to the naked eye, her wrist was slightly swollen.
I knew this would happen.
Pushing forward too fast isn’t always a good thing.
“For the time being, you should stay away from the piano.”
“Why, why?”
“Your wrist has been strained from excessive practice. If you keep playing in this condition, you could lose the ability to perform for the rest of your life.”
“Gasp…”
It’s true.
Even professional performers limit their practice to three to six hours a day at most.
This is to protect their wrists and maintain their overall condition.
Practicing beyond that is essentially trading your health for skill improvement.
“You’re not at a serious stage yet, so resting for a few days should help.”
“Understood.”
“No piano, absolutely none.”
“Y-yes, I understand.”
Wait a minute.
Did she just sound a little annoyed?
Does she act like a child whenever it comes to music?
I can relate to that feeling.
“Well then, Your Highness.”
“Yes?”
“If you refrain from playing for a week, I’ll prepare a special reward for you.”
Blessed are those who endure.
This will be my first time rewarding someone for fully mastering my sheet music.
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